She Walked Away
by MRobitussin
Summary: Just an idea I had, let me know if you like it
1. Chapter 1

(All I'm going to say is, I like Orion as stated in my last fic. Plus he's like Ginger's "therapist." Someone she can talk to about everything going on her life that's an outsider. This fanfic was inspired by another song "She Walked Away" by the Barlow Girls, although it's a religious song, this fanfic won't be. The song just reminded me a little bit of "No Turning Back" and how she freaked out over changes before High School, I think the song explains how she'd react once they took full swing.)

Ginger walked out of school that day, feeling neutral. It was an interesting feeling, being neutral. Lately, that was the only way Ginger could think to explain how she felt. She was a Junior in High School, back together with her freshmen boyfriend Darren, still friends with all her old friends, things should be good shouldn't they? Well, they weren't for Ginger. Her friends had slowly faded apart, Dodie becoming a Varsity Cheerleader and the Head Cheerleader's assistant/kiss ass. Macy and Dodie had a slight falling out because Dodie felt that since Macy was involved in band that she wasn't cool enough for her. Of course Dodie didn't mean for Macy to hear it, she was making jokes with her other cheerleader friends and Macy heard it. Dodie apologized, but things hadn't been the same between them since. Darren was the star of the football team and he loved the attention. He settled into an M-TV high school life, going to parties on the weekend, trying a little bit of everything. Lately he had been asking Ginger about having sex, Ginger wasn't sure she was ready, but Darren kept pushing. Her brother Carl was still acting up like he always did and the school convinced her mom to put him in therapy to help his work out his "issues." Between shifts at the hospital and sessions with Carl and his therapist, Ginger barely saw her mom anymore. Her step-father became Chief of Medicine at the hospital so he worked twice as much and her father moved to Florida for a new job. Ginger loved going to visit him during Christmas break and spending time some where warm, but she missed having him around to talk to. Her friends and family had changed so much since the start of High School, she wondered if she had changed too.

Ginger jumped into her radiant blue ford focus, put on her sunglasses, and drove to the community college where Orion was taking classes. Ginger found it odd how her and Orion could go from friends, to dating, and then back to friends again, but she loved having his friendship. She also loved being at the community college, it reminded her of avalanche ranch. People openly expressed themselves there and no one looked down on them like they did at her high school. Everyone treated her with respect and she even made friends with a few of Orion's friends. She loved just sitting in the student union and talking over a cup of green tea. Plus she liked going to see Orion, lately he had been making more sense to her then anyone she knew.

She walked into the student union and saw Orion sitting with his friends Lola and Reid on the couches. She walked over and fell back into her favorite over stuffed chair and closed her eyes.

Orion laughed slightly when he saw her. "Bad day?"

Ginger kept her eyes closed and head tilted up, not looking at Orion at all. "No..."

"Good day?" Lola said with question to her voice.

"No..." Ginger replied again, still unmoved.

"Then what kind of day makes you come in here and flop down like your life is over?" Reid asked calmly as he took a drink from his mug of coffee and flipped through the student paper.

Ginger sat up. "Neutral."

"Neutral?" Orion repeated.

"Yes, that's the best way I can describe it. My days have been the same for the past year, nothing good, nothing bad, just neutral."

"I prefer blah." Lola said with a smile as she stood up. "Want your usual Ging?"

Ginger nodded as Lola walked away and Orion set his books down. "But from what you've been telling me your past year hasn't been so great."

"Well, it hasn't."

"So how could your days now be neutral if you've been saying they are bad?"

Ginger laughed. "When things keep going the same way every day, day after day with no end it no long becomes bad because you become use to it. Although it does not become a good thing, it is no longer bad because you expect to be the way it is. So then it becomes neutral, unless you can think of a better work then that, I'll stick with neutral for now."

"Getting a thesaurus." Reid replied, not looking up from his paper. "It'll help you find a better word."

Lola came back and handed Ginger her drink, Ginger took a drink then replied. "I'm not interested in finding a better word, I'm interested in finding a fix for all of this crap."

Orion got up and walked over to sit next to Ginger. "What's going on now?"

Ginger sighed. "There's nothing new going on, it's still the same old. Dodie and Macy are barely talking, I barely see my family, Darren is going to party after party and I'm not interested in that. And well...he did start something new last week."

"What now?"

"He wants to have sex." Ginger mumbled and took a quick drink of her tea. Although she had hoped they hadn't, all three of them heard what she said and stopped what they were doing to listen.

"Did you guys have sex last time you dated?" Lola asked, rather interested in the subject. She was studying to be a psychologist and she took an interest in the as she called it, "inner workings" of teenagers.

Ginger laughed. "We started dating in middle school, my biggest worry was starting high school and so was his, there was never talk of having sex."

"Well according to you Darren isn't the same guy he was in middle school." Orion said, sitting back and watching Ginger.

"Yeah he isn't." They were all silent for a moment.

Reid broke the silence, he was very good for that. "Well do you wanna have sex with him?"

Ginger turned her head to him quickly. "No! Well...not yet at least. I'm so confused about a million other things I think sex would just make it worst."

Lola laughed. "Trust me it does."

"Then just tell him no if you're not interested." Reid replied, now returning to his paper. Reid wasn't one to think of emotions, he just gave you a blunt answer and went about his day. Sometimes it was helpful, today it wasn't.

"I have told him I don't want to have sex, but he keeps pushing. He says that he loves me and we're going to be together forever so why not. Plus the classic excuse of everyone is doing it."

Orion laughed. "I'm not at the moment."

Ginger smiled at Orion. "I don't think Darren considers you part of everyone."

"I take pride in that."

Ginger laughed. Even if Orion couldn't help her, he could make her laugh which was just as good.

"Darren's a football player right?" Lola asked after finishing the rest of her tea.

"Yeah...the star of the football team is more like it. He's one of the best players."

"And you said he's been partying a lot?"

"Yeah, what's your point?"

"My point is, have you been to those high school parties?"

"Only a couple, I usually end up leaving. It's just a lot of drinking games and loud music, not really my thing."

Lola laughed. "Well after everyone gets drunk there tends to be some...action for lack of better words. If he's at this party he is seeing quote everyone doing it. Does he strive to be popular?"

Ginger sunk down into her chair more, grasping her tea and thinking. "He didn't use to...now I'm not so sure."

"Well from what I've seen at these parties when I was in high school if you want to stay ahead of the crowd, sex does have to happen."

Ginger sighed. "Can someone find me the old Darren?"

"The saddest part is that Darren will be seen as a hero because he's a boy and they're supposed to be getting some every night, I blame American Pie for that. And while you as the girl, well if you and Darren break up other guys will think they'll have a chance, if you sleep with them you automatically become a whore to everyone and if you don't you'll still be called one by the girls that are jealous that the guys won't look at them."

"And what happens if I don't have sex with him?"

Lola sighed. "From what you're saying at the moment Darren is not going to give up, if you give in you go on the road I just told you about. If you choose the other, you could end up loosing him again."

"Maybe that would be for the better." Orion jumped in.

Ginger turned to him. "I don't want to loose Darren...and I don't want to have sex with Darren..."

"The only advice I can give you is keeping saying you're not ready, maybe Darren will respect that." Lola said with a smile.

"The only thing he's going to respect is finding a girl that will give to him when he wants it." Orion replied rather callously.

"You don't know that Orion!" Lola snapped at him. "You're not a sex obsessed teenager and don't tell me you use to be, I can tell you were the cool drummer in the background only caring about your so called music."

"I had my priorities. I'm sorry sex wasn't one of them"

Ginger laughed. "Calm down the both of you...I didn't mean to start an intense debate."

Lola turned back to Ginger. "Maybe you should try to talk to your mom about it. I mean, even if you're not going to have sex, it's never a bad idea to think about birth control. In case something does happen and even if it doesn't, there are ones that will help control your cycle and..."

"Stop!" Orion and Reid both screamed at the same time. Ginger and Lola laughed.

"No offense." Orion said, lowering his tone. "But I'm not planning on studying the female body to become a teacher or having to explain it to students one day, can we just keep that subject off limits."

"And what will you do when you have a daughter and she ask you questions?" Lola smiled at him.

"What any good husband does." Reid said, finishing his coffee. "Send them to their mom."


	2. Chapter 2

Ginger got home just before dinner. She went to her room and changed into a tank top because her family kept the house very warm for her. She pulled her hair into a messy ponytail and went down for dinner. Everyone was already downstairs and eating by the time she got there. Her step father Dave was still dressed in his clothes from the hospital, Carl was rather silent and adding random items to his food, and her mom Lois was eating rather quick while reading the mail. Ginger sat down with them, spaghetti again. Yes Ginger like spaghetti, but lately her mom's dinners consisted of with spaghetti or something frozen and usually not cooked all the way through. Ginger sat there slightly eating, but mostly playing with her food.

"Carl, would you stop adding and just eat." Lois said, looking up from the mail. "We have to leave in 15 minutes for your appointment."

"Yes ma'am..." Carl mumbled, taking a bite. Ever since he started seeing a shrink, he'd become a lot more quiet. He hated going to the doctor and usually tried to find a way out of it, he had probably already tried to before Ginger got home.

"I'm heading back to the hospital after this." Dave said between bites.

"Looks like you're home alone again tonight Ging." Lois said getting up and putting her plate in the sink. "Will you load the dishwasher for me?"

"Sure thing..." Ginger said half heartedly and not looking up from her plate.

"Something bothering you Ginger?" Dave asked, putting a hand on Ginger's shoulder. Dave tried hard to keep up with what was going on in Ginger's life, but the hospital took most of his time.

Ginger looked at him and gave a half hearted smile. "It's really not something I want to talk to...well a guy about, even if you are a doctor."

Dave opened his mouth to say more, but his beeper went off before he got anything else out. "Shoot..." Dave looked at his pager. "I've got to go, I'll see you guys later." He gave Lois a kiss and was out the door in the blink of an eye. Ginger had to stop and think to believe he had actually been there at one point.

"Carl, go wash up, we've got to get going." Lois said, putting the rest of dinner in Tupperware. Carl ran from the kitchen like a bat out of hell. Lois looked at Ginger. "What's up Ging?"

Ginger sighed slightly. "Just something I wanted to talk to you about..."

Lois sat down. "I'm all ears kiddo."

"I've been thinking a lot lately..."

"Carl!" Lois screamed, having seen Carl trying to sneak out the front door without her seeing. "You're not going anywhere except to the doctor!" Carl mumbled as he walked back to his room and Lois turned back to Ginger. "Sorry hun, you were saying?"

"Well...I...ummm..." Ginger was searching for the right words to say. She knew Lola was right about being prepared for anything, but how do you talk to your mom about this?

"Come on Ginge, we've always been able to talk."

"I've been wondering about birth control..." Ginger spitted out, keeping her eyes on her plate and still playing with it.

Lois was silent for a minute. "That's a pretty big thing Ginge..."

"I know, I mean...I just..." The alarm on Lois' watch went off, interrupting Ginger.

"Shoot..." Her mom mumbled. "Carl!" She screamed. "Get in the car!"

Ginger's cheeks blushed. "It's not like I'm planning..."

Lois stopped her. "We'll talk later, but just be careful whatever you're doing. I know you love Darren, but you're still really young." Her mom got up and put on her coat.

"But Mom I'm not..."

"Come on Carl!" Her mom screamed and Carl came trotting down the stairs and they both left, leaving Lois thinking that Ginger was having sex and Ginger feeling embarrassed and ashamed for making her mom think that. She wasn't even given time to defend herself!

She got up and threw her place across the room, screaming "God damnit!" She stood there a minute, fist on the table and tears rolling down her cheek. She was so irked with everyone and everything around in that in that brief moment she didn't care if she knocked the whole house down! After a few bitter breathes and tears, she regained herself and cleaned up her mess. Once she picked up the plate and cleaned up the floor, she put on some music and rinsed the dishes as she put them in the dishwasher. Her music consumed her, as if a waterfall was crashing onto her and wiped away her fears and anguish. In that brief moment, she was flying over the mountains and breathing in the fresh air or laying on the Florida beach in her dad's backyard and relaxing the coolness of a sunset.

"Hey Ginger, you home?" Her dream was dashed, Darren was here.

Ginger kept cleaning the dishes, not answering. He knew she would be there, her car was out front for God's sake! She felt guilty for being upset that he was there. It wasn't that she didn't care for him, she was just so baffled by his actions lately it left her feeling resentful towards him for making her feel that way. Darren walked in, stood behind her and kissed her head. "Why didn't you answer?"

She smiled weakly, "Sorry...I couldn't hear you over the music."

Darren turned the music off and sat down. Ginger finished the dishes and turned around, not walking over to sit with him. She felt more comfortable standing in front of him, more in control. "So what's up?"

"There's a party tonight at Sam's, thought we could go." Darren smiled his wide smile that made Ginger's heart melt, if only he hadn't mentioned the party first.

Ginger sighed. "I don't know Darren...I'd rather just stay here..." She looked at the dishwasher and laughed. "Mom made spaghetti again, I couldn't stomach eating it again...wanna go get something to eat?"

Darren sighed. "I'm sure there will be something to eat at the party. Come on Ging, you haven't gone to a party in weeks."

"I'm not in the mood Darren. I had a long day at school, I come home to try and talk to my mom and get pushed aside."

"What were you trying to talk to her about?"

Ginger sighed, she didn't want to tell him, but she didn't want to lie. "Birth control...I just had some questions and she's a nurse so she'd know..."

"Makes sense..."

"Yeah we'll her and Carl flew out of here like they were running from the plague and Dave barely spent 5 minutes at the dinner table before his beeper went off! I barely get to see any of them anymore!" Ginger sat down, feeling a bit better having gotten everything off her chest. At least Darren was listening, or so she thought.

Darren raised an eyebrow. "Everyone's gone?"

Ginger didn't reply. She wanted to scream at him for being so dumbfounded. There were no cars outside, no one was in the living room or kitchen, where the hell could she be hiding him? Ginger sat there debating in her mind if he was really that dumb and if he'd always been or if becoming a jock had done it to him.

Darren put his hand on hers. "Let's skip the party."

Ginger smiled, relieved. "Really?"

"Yeah." His grin turned to a cool calm smile. "We'll go get some take out from your favorite Chinese food place...Come back here, go up to your room and watch a movie..." Darren let his hand start to slowly run up hers and pulled himself closer to her, talking softly. "And see where the night leads us..." Darren leaned in to kiss her.

Ginger pulled her hands back. "Darren...I thought we talked about this, I'm not ready."

Darren sighed. "Then why are you talking to your mom about birth control?"

Ginger looked down. "So when I am...I'm ready."

"Well don't worry." Darren said, pulling out his wallet from his back pocket. "I'm ready for the both of us." Darren pulled out a condom and smiled like he did when they won state last year, it disgusted Ginger.

She laughed at him. "A condom?"

Darren nodded.

"That's been in your back pocket how long?"

Darren shrugged. "A week...maybe more?"

Ginger couldn't help, but laugh again. "Wow, that's safe. I'm sure the thing hasn't broken."

"Well I'll get a new one while we're out...Come on Ginge, I love you."

Ginger sighed and looked Darren in the eye. "I love you too Darren...but I'm not ready, I need you to understand that."

Darren put his hand on Gingers again, rubbing the side of her hand lightly with his finger tips. "I'm not gonna hurt you Ginger...I'm ready for this and I think if you just gave it a chance it could be a great thing. Look at us right now, you just did the dishes, I'm sitting here listening to your day, we're an old married couple. Why won't you just give us a chance to take things farther? It could open up so much more for us."

"What is it gonna open up? So you won't have to lie in the locker room anymore?"

"Do you know how it feels to be the only virgin in the locker room?"

Ginger laughed. "Yes I do Darren because I am during gym class."

"Then let's change it! Right here, right now, let's go upstairs and experience this together! I love you Ginger, I'm protecting us from having a baby, let's go upstairs and make this happen. It could be one of the greatest things to ever happen to us!"

Ginger looked away. "You don't understand how confused I am right now...my life is not where I want it to be..."

"This can fix, I'm sure of it. All the guys after their first time seemed so much more confident, things started getting better for them, life just meant more!"

"Sex is not going to make my friends be friends again and it won't bring my family back together."

"But it will bring us closer, don't you want that?"

Ginger sighed. "Please Darren...just give me some more time..."

Darren sighed in anger and sat back, silent for a minute. Finally he answered, without looking at her. "Fine...you going to the party?"

Ginger laughed. "Darren, we have school tomorrow...can you wait till the weekend? I promise this weekend I'll go to a party with you and maybe by then I'll feel different."

Darren smiled. "All right, I can't say no to that face."


	3. Chapter 3

The next day Ginger got to school earlier then she usually did. Her plan was to go start to class, avoiding everyone, and diving into a book to hide her face. How awful it was not to want to face her friends or boyfriend, but things were just unbearable with them. Ginger made it halfway to her class and stopped dead in her tracks. There in the hallway stood Macy and some of the other members of band.

"Hey Ginger!" Macy said, waving excitedly to her.

Ginger sighed as she walked up and faked a smile. "Hey Macy...what are you doing here so early?"

"Hanging banners!" Macy pointed to the banner above them, it announced the band bake sale was this week and a different assortment of treats that could be found. "Hope you plan on buying."

"You know I always support you..."

Macy was quiet for a minute, looking down slightly when she talked. "Seen Dodie lately?"

"Saw her yesterday, I think we're suppose to do homework together tonight..."

Macy looked surprised. "She didn't tell me about that."

Ginger shrugged. "Maybe I'm wrong."

"Or maybe she doesn't want to be seen with a so called geek like me."

"I'm sure that's not in!" Ginger tried to defend Dodie, but Macy was already heated up and not going to quit.

"At least my friends actually like me for who I am! If Dodie was to change her hair color or even get colored contacts her friends would flip!" Macy stopped for a minute breathing heavy, Ginger put her hand on Macy's shoulder and neither notice the group of cheerleaders walk up.

"What the hell is this?" The head cheerleader named Aurora asked, looking disgusted.

Macy looked up at where Aurora was looking. "It's a banner for our bake sale."

Aurora laughed, "Impossible, we're having our mini spirit pom-pom sale this week, you'll have to take that down."

"We reserved the table at the beginning of the school year!" A band member named Cody yelled.

Aurora snapped her fingers and Dodie walked up, pulling out a paper and holding it up. "Actually we have it reserved, the band isn't even mentioned."

Macy glared. "That's not what the paper in the office will say!"

"Look I'm sorry Macy, but we have it and you don't." Dodie looked at her cheerleading friends and then let out a cocky laugh. "Besides, why would anyone want to buy from a couple of geeks like you!"

The rest of the cheerleaders laughed and started to walk away. Dodie turned to her friends. "Sorry..." she whispered.

"Go bow down and kiss Aurora's feet!" Macy replied and turned and walked away with her friends, leaving Dodie and Ginger standing there.

Dodie sighed. "She just doesn't understand what it's like to be popular."

Ginger nodded. "Umm...yeah..."

"Oh come on Ginger! I've worked hard for this and she's a pretty awful friend for not supporting me! You support me..."

"I still don't think it's right to call names..." Ginger said slowly, looking at Dodie.

Dodie sighed. "Whatever! We still on for tonight, you didn't tell Macy did you?"

"I think I'm gonna skip tonight if you don't mind..."

"Oh Ginger!" Dodie laughed. "You wouldn't pass up hanging out with me, I'm the most popular friend you have..." Dodie paused a minute then smiled. "Next to your boyfriend."

Ginger turned around and there was Darren, smiling. "Good save Dodie..."

"See ya tonight Ginger!" Dodie squealed and ran after her friends.

Thankfully classes kept Ginger busy until lunch, only problem was that she had lunch with both Dodie and Macy. They both wanted Ginger to sit with them and lately Ginger had been hiding out in the girls locker room to avoid both of them. But both of them had noticed Ginger on their way to lunch and if she ditched this time, they would both know it. She walked as slow as possible so she would be the last in the lunch line, she actually brought lunch, but threw it out before going into the cafeteria. Maybe if she took too long in the lunch line, Dodie and Macy would forget about her.

No luck, the moment she walked out, they both ran up to her.

"Ginger! Come sit with us!" Dodie squealed pulling at Ginger's arm.

Macy laughed. "Why would Ginger be interested in conversations about hair styles? Come sit with us."

"Why would she be interested in conversations about cleaning spit out of instruments?"

"At least we actually have a talent?"

"And cheering doesn't take talent?"

"I didn't know yelling was a talent!"

"Stop it!" Ginger interrupted. "You're both being stupid!"

"Ginger you haven't sat with us in forever!" Dodie wined. "You barely know the girls!"

"She hasn't sat with us longer..." Macy said, sounding rather sad.

"Darren's going to be sitting with us." Dodie said with a smile.

Ginger thought a moment. "You know, I forgot I volunteered to put books away in the library, I'd better go!" Ginger threw her tray onto the belt and ran out of the cafeteria like her life depended on it.

Macy and Dodie wanted Ginger to pick who her friend was and Ginger didn't want to. Why couldn't things be like they were in middle school? Macy went over to Dodie's house more then Ginger did. Now because of different groups, they only fought with each other. They were tearing her apart. It hurt Ginger so badly to have her friends divided.


	4. Chapter 4

The weekend came too quick for Ginger. She made the promise to Darren and she knew she had to keep it. Reluctantly, that Friday night she got dressed in her most comfortable pair of worn blue jeans and her white camisole with a black pull-over draped onto her shoulders. She left her hair down; she liked it much better that way and put on a little bit of make-up. Ginger honestly felt silly making sure she looked nice, but it was the price of being one of the star football players girlfriends, you had to look nice because you were going to be looked at. Especially at these parties, Ginger felt more like a trophy then a girlfriend. Ginger looked even sillier when she had to drag Darren's half awake body to her car. She hated sneaking him into his room so his parents wouldn't find out he was passed out drunk, but she was now very good at getting in and out without being heard. Those were the moments it was hardest for her to stay with him, but the next day Darren always found a way to make it up to her with dinner or a sweet girlfriend and that smile, it always kept her coming back.

The party was wild by the time Ginger and Darren got there. People were all over the house. When they pulled up, they had to wait for people to move to find a place to park. They squeezed through people getting in the front door; Darren walked over to a group of football players and picked up a drink. Ginger rolled her eyes and pushed her way to the back deck. The pool had already been emptied for the winter weather coming and there was a radio in there blaring must with people dancing around. Ginger leaned against the railing and watched them; laughing and wondering if they knew how silly they looked.

"Hey Ginger!" Dodie said as she came running up, half empty bottle in her hand. Ginger could tell by the smell on Dodie that she already had a way too many.

"Hey Dodie...you got a ride home?" Ginger said slightly worried.

Dodie laughed. "Of course...you want something to drink?"

Ginger shook her head. "No, I have to drive Darren home; I'd rather not have any."

"Such a worry wart...this is a party! Have some fun! Not like there's anyone here to do something stupid with." Dodie laughed again. "Not like there's anyone here to care about doing something stupid in front of."

Ginger watched Dodie. Her hair was a mess, along with her clothes, she smelled horrible, and she was disgracing herself. All Ginger could do was shake her head, she never wanted to be like that.

Ginger decided to check on Darren, although they had only been there an hour, she knew Darren threw back shots like they were water. She pushed her way back inside and found him standing in a group of guys.

Ginger walked up and pulled on his arm. "Hey hun..."

Darren turned and smiled. "Hey baby!" He leaned in and kissed her on her cheek.

God! He smelled worst then Dodie did! How could he already be so wasted? "Are you all right hun?"

"Yeah..." He looked at the guys. "I'm gonna have a word with my lady if you don't mind."

Darren pulled Ginger into the hallway next to the stairs. He pinned her against the wall and put his hands on her waist. "Where you been hiding?"

Ginger laughed, "We've only been here an hour...can you slow it down on the drinking?"

Darren laughed. "That's not what I wanted to talk to you about. Chuck, he's a great guy you know Chuck right?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Chuck is saving a special room for just me and you. So when you're ready, give me a holler and we'll be up there in a minute or less."

Ginger looked at him. "Darren, I'm not going up there with you. We've only been here an hour and you're already slurring your words and half falling on me...you really think I want my first time to be like that?"

"You said you'd be ready by the party."

"I said I may be ready and even if I was which I'm not, you're way too drunk to do anything, but go home and pass out."

Darren sighed. "Do you know how frustrating you are?!" He walked back over to the group of guys. Ginger just rolled her eyes and went back outside; she didn't want to fight with him like this.

Ginger walked around the party aimlessly for about 2 hours. Darren didn't come looking for her and no one came to her saying that he wanted to talk. Ginger was a little worried he had taken off without her, she didn't want him out and about in the condition he was in. She walked into the kitchen, but he was no longer there, so she made her way into the living room. There she found Dodie with a group of cheerleaders, laughing and spilling drinks on the floor.

"Hey Dodie..." Ginger said as she walked up.

Dodie looked at her with glazed over eyes and gave a half hearted smile. "What's up Ginger?"

"Have you seen Darren?"

"Umm...I think he's in the...watch do ya call it?" Her friends started laughing and she joined them.

Ginger rolled her eyes. "Upstairs?"

"Yes!" Dodie sounded excited. "That's where he is!"

Ginger made her way upstairs. As she walked, she wondered if she should be worried. At parties like this, upstairs was reserved for couples...or people who were hooking up for the night. She reached the top of the stairs and looked around. About 10 feet away from her stood a tiny blonde girl Ginger had never seen before leaning with her back against the wall and leaning over her was Darren. They were laughing and sharing a drink. Ginger's heart sank...she was too hurt to walk up and say something to Darren, so she turned around and walked out the door, getting into her car and leaving without looking back.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Ginger was sitting at the kitchen table in her pink bathrobe, holding a full cup of tea she had yet to take a drink of between her hands. Ginger found it funny that she had yet to cry, she wanted to, she tried to, but no tears came. Ginger was hurt, very badly hurt by seeing Darren in that position. Ginger felt empty inside, as if something had been ripped out of her, but she wasn't sure what it was. She felt worst then neutral, but shouldn't she be crying? She loved Darren, she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life and he had betrayed her again! How could she not be crying? Ginger wanted so badly for one tear to fall, but no matter how hard she tried, nothing came to her.

Around noon she met Lola, Reid, and Orion at their favorite little diner. She got there first and got a booth for them. She was sitting there, playing with the straw in her drink and starring into space when the three walked in.

Reid waved his hand in Ginger's face. "You on earth still?"

She shook her head and woke up. "Sorry guys...lost in thought."

Lola sat down next to Ginger. "So what's the special today?"

Orion and Reid sat across from them. Orion looked at Ginger. "Party didn't go well did it?"

Ginger laughed. "That's an understatement!"

Lola smiled and put her head on Ginger's shoulder. "What happened sweet pea?"

"Started the same as always, he got drunk in less than an hour and wanted to go upstairs, I told him no, he got mad and walked away to drink more."

"Well, can't get mad at him for acting out of nature." Reid said coolly, flipping through the menu.

"Actually I can...when I went looking for him to take his drunken ass home, I found him leaning up against some young girl I've never seen before and flirting with her!"

Lola sat up and looked at Ginger. "Dear God! What did you do?"

Ginger looked back at her drink. "I just...left..."

Lola hugged Ginger close to her. "Poor thing...have you been crying all day?"

"Actually...no..."

Lola looked at her. "You haven't?"

"I want to, but I just can't cry."

"You know it's better to just be done and over him." Orion replied.

Ginger looked at him. "We didn't break up...I just left..."

Orion laughed. "You're telling me you'd take him back after that?"

"In his defense, I don't know what happened. Besides I'd rather make mom's attempt at a birth control worth it."

"You talk to her?" Lola jumped up.

"I thought we agreed not to talk about that." Reid piped in.

"Shut it!" Lola snapped.

Ginger laughed. "She was convinced that I already had sex and ran out the door before I could defend myself. Not much of a conversation."

Lola just shook her head. "No one wants to listen to you huh?"

"And Dodie and Macy were fighting over me at school, this is getting to be way too crazy for me, I want to pull my fucking hair out!" Ginger tilted her head back and closed her eyes.

"I don't think you'd look good bald." Reid replied blankly.

"Not helping Reid!" Lola yelled at him.

"I have to agree with Reid though; you wouldn't look good bald Ginger." Orion replied.

Ginger looked at Orion. "Now you're going to hand out sarcasm?"

"I think you need to get rid of Darren, throw your mom's beeper in the garbage disposal and tell Dodie and Macy to fuck off..."

Ginger laughed. "Now you're just going to be blunt. That works."

"I think you need to try with your mom because parents are important, but as for the others, I say just walk away."

Ginger looked at him. "Do you really think that's the best move?"

Orion laughed. "Dodie and Macy are going to tear you to pieces and Darren's just going to sleep around behind your back until you'll give in."

"Hey!" Reid looked up. "Don't say that! He might just end it instead."

"Do you know how to be sensitive at all?" Lola asked staring at Reid and Orion. "Ginger is hurting and you just want to be assholes to her? Why the hell does she talk to you?"

"Because we keep things interesting?" Reid said with a smile.

"We make sense...even if she doesn't want us to." Orion said, looking at Ginger. "You know we're right."

"I just feel bad walking away..." Ginger said slowly, looking at her drink again. It hurt to think about not talking to Dodie, Macy, and Darren anymore. But Orion did have a point, it was better than feeling the way she had been feeling.

"It's going to take something big to happen before you'll be able to do it...but when you finally do Ginger, remember it's for the best."


	6. Chapter 6

Ginger didn't hear from Darren all weekend. She spent her weekend in her room, still not crying, but not feeling good. She still had the feeling that something was missing inside of her. She came downstairs Monday morning, ready for school, but wondering if there was a way out of it. When she reached the kitchen, her mom was sitting there alone in her nurse scrubs, holding a cup of coffee. There was nothing set on the table for breakfast which didn't bother Ginger, she wasn't hungry. She walked over to the fridge to get some juice.

"Hey mom..." she said as she poured herself a cup.

"Ging, we need to talk." Lois said dryly.

Ginger turned to her mom, surprised. "What's up?"

Lois sighed as she pulled a condom out of her pocket; it was the same condom Darren had pulled out the week before. Ginger just stood there as her mom said "I can't believe it got this far..."

Ginger stared. "Excuse me?"

"Ginger I don't feel comfortable with you having sex in my home."

Ginger laughed. Ginger didn't know what took over, but she didn't care anymore. She was upset, frustrated, and confused; she didn't need her mom questioning her, especially when she wouldn't even give Ginger the chance to defend herself. "Where would you like me to have sex then mom? The back of my car?"

"Ginger you're too young to be having sex. I wish you would have come to me before you started, do you know the dangers you have put yourself in at the moment?"

Ginger laughed again, she couldn't help it, this was ridiculous! "Not like you would of listen would you? Do you know anything going on in my life right now? No! You're either at work or with Carl at the doctor."

"Ginger I would of made time for this! Now I'm going to have to take you to the doctor, you're going to have to get checked for STDs and I think it would be best if you got on the pill."

Ginger stopped and looked at her mom in the eyes with a piercingly dead stare. She talked steadily, it was as if all emotion had been drained from her, but Lois could still sense the anger in Ginger's voice. "Fine...you want to sit here and pretend like you would of stopped and listen to me if I brought up, you go ahead, but we both know that's not true. I tried to talk to you about it before anything happened and you ran out the door and just automatically assumed I was already having sex. All you ever do is everything for everyone else, there's no time for me, there's no time for my problems. And you know what, that would be perfectly fucking fine if you didn't sit here and pretend like you fucking understand Mom!" Ginger grabbed her back pack and marched to the door. She stopped in the doorway of the kitchen and turned her head. "And just so you know, I haven't had sex with him...he brought that over here trying to convince me and I still said no, I wouldn't disrespect you or myself that way." With that Ginger marched out the door, leaving Lois bewildered and struck dumb.


	7. Chapter 7

Ginger walked into school that day, resentful, rattled, and baffled by what had just happened. She just snapped she couldn't take anymore. Her mom accused her of something without even trying to talk to her about it. Why had life taken such a spiral out of control? All Ginger wanted to do now was cry, she had all weekend to cry and couldn't and now she was fighting the tears as she walked into the main hall way.

She saw a group of football players leaning against the wall and laughing. She knew they were talking about the party. She didn't even bother to look for Darren, she just kept walking.

"Ginger!" Darren broke free of the group and ran up to her. "Hey baby..." He leaned in to kiss her.

Ginger pulled back. "Don't..."

Darren looked puzzled. "What's wrong babe? What happened to you Saturday?"

Ginger laughed. "I'd like to ask you the same question...I saw you with that other girl."

Darren laughed. "We were just talking...you know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you Ginger, I love you." He wrapped his arms around her. "Besides, I was just waiting for you to meet me upstairs so we could have some fun."

Ginger pushed him away. "I told you I'm not ready, would you stop pushing? I'm getting sick and tired of it!"

Darren stared at her. "And I'm getting sick and tired of fighting you on this. Do you know how many girls out there would kill to have a chance with me?"

Ginger's face flushed red with anger. "Really!? Then go have one of your skanks!" Ginger turned around and kept heading down the hallway. In less than a minute Ginger's heart felt as if it had snapped into two because she could hear that Darren wasn't coming after her.

The rest of school was a daze for Ginger. First her mom and now Darren...she was battling a mixture of emotions inside of herself. She was upset with both of them for what they had done. She loved Darren and part of her wanted to crawl back, begging him not to leave her. But the truth was, she had enough and she knew it was better to leave it then fight for it because their battle was never going to end. As for her mom...she didn't want to go home. She felt horrible for yelling at her mom like she did, but she knew that she had every reason for what she had done. Maybe staying at the college student union until after her mom would of gone to bed would be best, just so she wouldn't have to face her.

Ginger was heading for the door to get to her car to leave for the college. There was a group of people standing in a circle in the hallway and she could hear yelling. She didn't know what was going on and didn't want to, so she tried to sneak by. As she walked by she could see Macy and Dodie in the middle of the circle, staring at each other.

"I don't care about your fucking bake sale!" Dodie screamed at Macy. "Check the office, we have the space reserved!"

Macy laughed. "Why would I take someone serious that has to resort to cussing to get her way? Just shows that cheerleaders are what everyone says, uneducated idiots!"

"Excuse me?" Dodie got closer to Macy.

Ginger rolled her eyes and walked over. "Stop it the both of you!" She stepped between them. "You're both acting like children!"

"We have the table reserved for our sale, how do they have the right to come in here and steal it?"

"You know that's not true!" Screamed Macy, her face was flushed and you could tell she was clenching her teeth.

"This isn't about the tables and you both fucking know that!" Ginger yelled, pushing them apart. "I'm sick and tired of your fucking crap! You use to be best friends, what happened?"

Macy laughed. "You heard what she said...she thinks she's better than us!"

"I apologized and now I realize I was right!" Dodie flipped her hair as a sign of being better, something the cheerleaders at the school always did.

"Enough!" Screamed Ginger again, she had already told off two people today, what would two more hurt? "I am sick and tired of this! You use to be friends, but now you can't be. Fine, whatever! But stop fighting like this! Stop trying to make me choose! I am not like either of you; I want to be friends with both of you."

"Oh come on Ginger, you know I'm better than her!" Macy replied, glaring at Dodie.

Dodie laughed. "Please!"

"God!" Ginger said as she stepped back. "You know what? I'm done! I'm done with the both of you! Fuck it! Fuck everything that's ever happened between us! If you don't care then why the hell should I?" Ginger screamed as she flew out the door, pushing both open as hard as she could and making then slam on the outside walls. She raced to get car, jumped in and flew out of the parking lot like her life depended on it.


	8. Chapter 8

You would think Ginger would head to the community college to rant to her friends or head home to sulk in her room, but she didn't. She drove right past the community college, not even looking out her window at the multiple buildings that stood in the giant field. Her hands clung to the steering wheel for dear life; hot tears of frustration stained her cheeks to a rosy red. What good was it to keep trying? Nothing she did was good enough for anyone. Fine! Then she wouldn't be around anymore to be such a disappointment. She had had enough; she was exhausted from crying, weary from trying so hard, and she generally despised herself.

Orion, Lola, and Reid were sitting in the student union waiting for Ginger. They had planned to see a movie and they were going to be late if she didn't hurry up. Lola was lying on the couch, napping slightly, Reid was typing notes onto his laptop, and Orion was playing with the zipper on his pull-over, rather bored with waiting. Just as he was about to suggest heading to the parking lot to see if Ginger was out there, his cell phone rang.

He picked up, not looking at the caller-id. "Hello?"

"Orion? It's Dodie." His heart sank; he had hoped it would be Ginger.

"Hey Dodie...what's up?"

"Is Ginger with you?"

"No, we're waiting for her, why?"

"She flew out of school almost an hour ago, she's really upset with us...I'm worried about her. She hasn't been home; no one else has seen her. You were my last hope, I have no idea where she took off too and she won't answer her cell phone for me, Macy, or Darren."

Orion sighed. "Calmed down Dodie, I'll call her and find her ok?"

"Ok..." Dodie sounded shaken up. "Please call and let me know she's ok."

"Will do," Orion hung up and sighed again.

"What's going on?" Lola asked without sitting up or opening her eyes.

"Guess Ginger and her friends had a spat and Ginger took off them."

Reid looked up. "Think she's ok?"

"Yeah, she's probably just hiding out somewhere...I'll give her a call."

Ginger was flying down a vacant road, doing close to 70mph. She didn't care. She just wanted to fly. She was lost in her music and the power of the car beneath her. Her moments rush was broken by the ring to her cell phone. Dodie had been calling her since she flew out of the school parking lot, but this time it was Orion.

Ginger slowed down, turned off her music, and answered. "Hello?"

"Hey Ginger, what's up?"

"Nothing...what's up with you?"

"Aren't we supposed to be going to a movie?" Orion was worried by the sound in Ginger's voice. It wasn't her; it was numbing and empty.

Ginger shrugged. "Sorry, you guys go without me."

"Ginger...Dodie called and said you guys had a fight...everything ok?"

Ginger laughed loudly. "I fought with my mom and Darren before her, she wants to think she's special let her, but she's not whole reason for anything!"

"Ginger what are you doing? Where are you?"

"Hmm...I can't find the road name...I think I'm two counties away, maybe more."

Orion laughed. "Ginger, running away from your problems is not going to solve them."

"Number one, I am not running, I'm driving!"

"Haha, trying to be like Reid now?"

"Number two, who said I was just leaving my problems? I'm leaving everything! I'm sick and tired of trying so hard to make everyone happy."

"Ginger what are you talking about? What do you mean you're leaving?"

Ginger sighed. "I wish you could understand. My mom thinks I'm having sex, Darren broke up with me because I won't have sex with him, Dodie and Macy were literally at each other's throats. Do you know how tiring this all is?"

"What doesn't kill us only makes us strong..." Lola replied as she sat up, having heard what Ginger said.

"What if some of us are sick of being strong?" You could hear the agony and anguish in Ginger's voice, Orion could tell she was shaking.

"I don't think you should be driving right now Ginger, pull over and we'll come get you."

"No..." Ginger said slowly, taking a deep breath. "I'm not coming back..."


	9. Chapter 9

Ginger hung up on Orion before he could say anything else. What did Ginger mean she wasn't coming back? It could mean a lot of different things, which worried Orion. He knew he needed to tell Lois what was going on, but he hated to be the messenger with bad news. With an uneasy feeling, he drove over to Ginger's house and knocked on the door.

Carl answered, "Hey Orion..."

"Hey Carl..." Orion said, scratching his head uncomfortably and looking around.

"Ginger's not here..." Carl went to close the door.

Orion stopped him. "Actually, I'm here to talk to your mom..."

Carl shrugged as he walked inside. "She's in the kitchen." Carl walked upstairs and Orion headed into the kitchen.

Lois was busy glazing a ham to realize Orion walked in. She had her radio up and was singing, loud and off key.

He coughed. "Lois?"

Lois turned. "Orion! You scared me!" She put the ham back in the oven and took off her oven gloves. "Ginger's not home from school yet..."

Orion sighed. "Yeah I know...I'm here to talk to you."

Lois looked confused. "Okay kiddo..." Lois sat down across from where Orion stood. "What's up?"

Orion was about to speak, when Dodie, Macy, and Darren came running in.

"Did she come home yet?" Dodie asked Orion, looking at him with desperate eyes.

"I um..." Orion stuttered.

"What did you do to her?" Darren demanded, staring at Orion.

"What I did?" Orion started.

"I don't understand why she's not answering!" Macy half cried.

Lois stood up, put her fingers to her lips and whistled, making everyone stop and stare at her. Lois took a deep breath. "Thank you...now what the heck is going on here?"

"Ginger ran away!" Dodie squeaked out, tears running down her cheek.

"She what?" Lois demanded.

"She won't answer her phone." Macy said, walking over and hugging Dodie.

"What happened?"

"Probably something happened at the community college?" Darren said, glaring back at Orion.

"I did it?" Orion laughed. "And what about you? She answered for me dumb ass!"

"Hold it!" Lois screamed, making everyone stop again. "Orion, what did she say to you?"

Orion shook his head, he was rather irked with everyone in the room right now and now fully understood why Ginger had taken off. "She told me she's sick and tried of trying so hard with all of you and she's not coming back."

"What do you mean she's not coming back, where is she?"

Orion sighed. "That's the only part I don't know...she's took off in her car somewhere."

Lois was rather calm, but on the inside she was dying. She had to keep herself collected to get the full story of what happened. Lois took a deep breath to keep herself together. "What happened today...?"

Darren looked away. "She broke up with me..."

"Oh Darren, I'm sorry." Dodie said hugging him.

Orion laughed. "Because you trying to get her to have sex with her and ditched at the party!"

Lois stared. "What...? Darren is that true...?"

"He's exaggerating!" Darren demanded. He knew Orion was right, but he would never admit it.

"Oh God..." Lois said, sitting down again, tears began to weld up in her eyes. "I accused her of it...and she's really not doing it..."

Macy walked over and rubbed Lois's back. "It's ok..."

Orion sighed. "She was upset...I didn't know you had actually talked about it..." He looked at Dodie and Macy. "She's upset with you for fighting over her..." He glared at Darren. "And you know what you've done to her..." He sighed as he turned back to Lois. "I'm sorry...I'm really sorry...but I don't know where she is."

Dodie picked up her phone and tried to call her. "She's still not answering!" Darren picked up his and tried to call and then Macy tried calling from the house phone, Ginger didn't answer for any of them.

While everyone was comforting each other and Lois was calling the police, Orion slipped outside onto the patio and called Ginger.

"Hi again Orion..." Ginger said as she picked up her phone. "Looks like Dodie and Macy talked to my mom, they all keep calling."

"Yeah I know...I'm at her house..."

"You're what? What did you tell them? Are they listening?!"

"No!" Orion said quickly. "Calm down, all I told them was you're upset with them and that you left and I don't know where you are..."

Ginger sighed in relief. "Good..."

"Ginger, can I meet up with you somewhere...after sitting here with these people I understand why you left...I just don't want you leaving without me saying good-bye."

Ginger thought a moment. "Promise not to bring them?"

"I promise..."


	10. Chapter 10

It took Orion an hour to get to the location Ginger was meeting him at, a gas station right off the side of the highway. He sat on the hood of his car, looking up at the sky and waiting for Ginger. After 15 minutes, she pulled in and got out of her car.

"Hey Orion..." She said softly. Her eyes were blood shot and her cheeks were stained with tears. She looked destroyed and lost.

Orion smiled calmly. "Hey Ginge...how's the drive going?"

Just before Ginger could speak, her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller id, then threw it into her car, sighing in frustrations. "Now they care?" She walked over and sat next to Orion.

Orion was still laying back. "Big dramatic acts tend to get people's attention, remember the Boston Tea Party?"

Ginger laughed, "Yeah well it's a little too late now...I'm never going back."

Orion laughed. "And what do you plan on doing out in the big old world on your own?"

Ginger shrugged. "I don't know...maybe I'll get a job here as a waitress."

"That's a fulfilling life...You really don't want that for yourself."

Ginger sighed and laying back next to him. "I know that...but I can't stand the thought of going back there."

"Maybe they'll change now...they realize they hurt you and wouldn't want to do it again."

Ginger laughed. "Change out of pity, out of fear I'll run off again...what kind of change is that? When they're face to face to me they're caring, but behind my back they're cussing me out for having to inconvenience themselves to make me happy. What kind of life would that be like for them or me?"

Orion sat up. "You have to give them a chance to change before you judge the way they change." Orion pulled something out of his pocket. "I thought you might like to have this..."

Ginger looked at it; it was a picture of Darren, Dodie, and Macy back in middle school. It made Ginger to see her old friends, happy and caring like they once were. Within that smile, she also felt a sting in her heart, wishing things had never changed.

Orion leaned over and kissed Ginger on the head. "I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose to do..."

She looked at him and smiled. "Thanks Orion...thanks for understanding."

They both got up and hugged good-bye. Inside Orion was dying, he didn't want to leave her, but he knew he couldn't make this choice for her. Dragging Ginger home would only make her run again, all he could do was hope she would make the right choice.

Ginger sat down in her car, leaning back and looking at the picture. She missed this. She missed the people she had met in Elementary school. She missed the slumber parties and all the great times she had with Darren. She missed being able to talk to her Mom and her old house. Why did everything have to change? And why did it have to change for the worst? Ginger didn't fit in with all the changes and she knew it. Sometimes it felt like life was passing her by as she struggled to hold onto it. Tears ran down Ginger's cheeks at the thought of all this, making her close her eyes for a moment.

When Ginger opened her eyes, there was the picture of her friends, them staring at her bright eyed and in wonder. It was in that moment; Ginger realized what she needed to do. She set the picture in the passenger seat, started her car, and drove off, heading to where she knew she belonged.

(Sorry guys, but this is the end...you get to figure out which way Ginger went, home or off on some random adventure)


End file.
